The present invention relates to a grommet for a connector used for arranging wires in, for example, an automobile.
In order to arrange wires between two positions in which one moves relatively around the other such as a door and a body of an automobile, an elastic or flexible tube-like grommet is prepared so as to be coupled with a connector provided for wiring, thereby protecting wires arranged inside the grommet. This type of grommet is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication 55-44317.
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the conventional grommet for protecting wires as described above, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an arrangement of the grommet, wires, and a connector just before the grommet is coupled with the connector. The grommet 1 includes a coupling end 2 which is rectangularly shaped corresponding approximately to a shape of a connector which is to be coupled with the grommet 1, a hollow intermediate 3, and a tube-like end 4 from which the wires are inserted. The coupling end 2 and the tube-like end 4 are connected with each other by the hollow intermediate 3, whereby the grommet 1 has a tube-like shape. Further, the entire grommet 1 may be unitarily molded into one piece of a flexible rubber material which has a uniform thickness. Prior to coupling the grommet 1 with a connector 5, a group of terminals 20 provided on one end of each of the wires 6 are inserted into the grommet 1 from the tube-like end 4. While the grommet 1 is grasped in a hand, each of the terminals 20 is inserted into terminal holes 21 for connecting, respectively. Next, the grommet 1 is coupled with the connector 5 through the coupling end 2. Further, the tube-like end 4 and the wires 6 are banded together with a roll of tape so that the tube-like end 4 is fixedly mounted on the wires 6. If the connector 5 is a male type connector, the connector 5 may be fitted in a female type connector as a final step for arranging the wires. In this way, the grommet 1 serves as a protector for the wires 6. Namely, the flexibility or elasticity of the grommet 1 is very advantageous when used with wires 6 which are arranged between two positions one of which moves relatively around the other in such a way that the wires 6 are bent or stretched.
On the other hand, due to the flexibility or elasticity of the grommet 1 which is unitarily molded into one piece of a elastic material such as rubber material, the grommet 1 may be stretched, bent, or twisted, while being held in one's fingers in order to execute coupling with the connector 5, thereby causing difficulty in coupling therewith. Fitting a connector inside the grommet 1 so as to accomplish a complete coupling may be especially difficult.